Pit Bull Attacks 4 Year Old at South Carolina Christmas Party


Submitted by Denise A Justin on Dec 22, 2011

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CHARLESTON—A joyous celebration turned into tragedy when 4-year-old Christopher Ranly was attacked by a family pit bull while attending a Christmas party at his uncle’s home near Walterboro, South Carolina, on Saturday.

Christopher, known as “Little Chris,” his mother, Brandy, and his 2-year-old sister live in Greeneville, Tennessee. His father, “Big Chris,” works in South Carolina and sometimes doesn’t get to see his wife and children for months. They united at the uncle’s house for the holiday festivities.

According to reports, the little boy picked up an apple and, when he walked outside to eat it, the pit bull attacked him.

“All of a sudden people were running in, screaming that one of the babies had been mauled,” Brandy Ranly told the Hilton Head Island Packet. “That’s when I heard someone say ‘Christopher.” The mother said she ran outside to find the dog shaking her 30-pound son so violently that the boy’s shoe flew off and the back of his head was shredded. “It could have killed him,” Brandy Ranly said.

Brandy’s brother-in-law, who works for a wildlife and pest control company, pried open the dog’s jaw and pulled the little boy away to save him.

The dog appears to have a current rabies shot and was on the owner’s property, so no laws were broken and he is being allowed to stay at the home, Tim Lynes, director of Colleton County Animal and Environmental Control, said. “We won’t take the animal as long as the owner can secure it,” which means the dog can’t have contact with people or other animals, the Sun News reports.

The uncle, Joe Ranly, who owns the male pit bull, named Stat, said it was because the pit bull was on a chain and the boy walked into his territory. He is not sure yet what decision will be made regarding keeping the dog.

“Little Chris” is still recovering at Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, with over 30 staples and a drain in his scalp, according to Sun News.

Child recovering from pit bull dog attack


Monday, Dec. 19, 2011 Modified Tue, Dec 20, 2011 06:33 PM

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CHARLESTON —- A family Christmas party near Walterboro took a violent turn Saturday when a pit bull attacked a 4-year-old boy, shredding the back of his head and sending him to the hospital for days.

Christopher Ranly, a blond-haired boy known as “Little Chris,” can’t remember what happened to land him at the Medical University of South Carolina Children’s Hospital.

His blue eyes looked weary as he watched“Beauty and the Beast” on the television in his room, clinging to a “Get Well Soon” balloon with one hand and a stuffed bear with the other. Chris lives in Greeneville, Tenn., with his mother, Brandy, and his2-year-old sister, Ashlyn. His father, also Chris Ranly or “Big Chris,”works in South Carolina and sometimes only gets to see his family every few months.

The Ranlys reunited for a Christmas party at the home of Big Chris’ uncle,Joe Ranly. Brandy said her son grabbed an apple and walked outside to eat it when Joe Ranly’s pit bull attacked.“All of a sudden people were running in, screaming that one of the babies had been mauled,”

Brandy Ranly said Monday. “Then I heard someone say‘Christopher.’

“The mother dashed outside to find that the dog had shaken her 30-pound son so violently that the boy’s shoe flew off. He needed about 30 staples in his scalp and a drain for the wound.“It could have killed him,”

Brandy Ranly said.Her brother in law, who works for a wildlife and pest control company, pried the dog’s jaws open and pulled the boy out.

The Ranlys rushed Little Chris to Colleton Medical Center, but they later took him to MUSC. Joe Ranly said the dog, a male pit bull named Stat, remains at his home. Ranly said the dog attacked because Little Chris came into his area while Stat was chained up. Asked what he intended to do with the dog, Joe Ranly said Monday,

“I don’t know what the plan is right now.”Tim Lynes, director of Colleton County Animal and Environmental Control,said the owners violated no laws, since the dog was on their property and appears to be current on its rabies vaccinations

.“We won’t take the animal, as long as the owner can secure it,” Lynes said,meaning the dog can’t have contact with people or other animals.

Only a judge’s order or a request from state health officials would require that officers take the dog away. Lynes said another pit bull attacked a boy last week in a similar situation that also included head trauma. The owner shot the dog in that case, Lynes said, though authorities prefer that owners keep the dogs alive to test for rabies. Little Chris remains in fair condition.

4-Year-Old Attacked By Pit Bull At South Carolina Christmas Party

December 20, 2011 9:37 AM

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CHARLESTON, S.C. (CBS Charlotte/AP) — A 4-year-old Tennessee boy is recovering after being attacked by a pit bull dog at a family Christmas party in South Carolina.

Christopher Ranly was attacked at a party near Walterboro on Saturday and is recovering at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

Chris lives with his mother, Brandy and his 2-year-old sister in Greeneville, Tenn. His father, Chris Ranly works in South Carolina and sometimes sees his family only every few months.

The family was at an uncle’s home near Walterboro when the child picked up an apple and walked outside to eat it. That is when the pit bull attacked the child.

“All of a sudden people were running in, screaming that one of the babies had been mauled,” Brandy Ranly told the Hilton Head Island Packet. “That’s when I heard someone say ‘Christopher.’”

Brandy’s brother-in-law was able to save Christopher by prying the dog’s jaws open, according to the paper.

Christopher needed about 30 staples in his scalp and a drain for the wound.

Colleton County animal control officials say the dog’s owner did nothing wrong.